Hot Toys of 2010

Popular Toys of 2010

This guide covers a handful of toys that will appeal to children (and adults, in some cases) for many different reasons. For those looking for something cute and cuddly, Pillow Pets should offer your child exactly what they’re looking for. Bananagrams, Mindflex, and Lego Harry Potter should appeal to those looking for mental stimulation, while Bakugan, Paper Jamz, and Sing-A-Ma-Jigs are sure to be go-to items for those trying to find toys that are causing the most buzz.

Read on to see which suits what you’re looking for this holiday season.

Sing-A-Ma-Jigs

While Sing-A-Ma-Jigs have been a huge hit this year with their intended 3-6 year-old age range, parents are finding these little singing dolls charming and enjoyable as well. These little bear and dog-like plush dolls sing and talk in cute cartoonish voices when your press their hands or stomachs. They can even sing in harmony with one another when placed close together.

At only $15-$20 per doll, which includes a free pair of AA batteries, this is definitely one of the more affordable toy crazes of the past few years.

Paper Jamz are great for kids who are interested in music but too young to handle a real instrument. These lightweight but durable cardboard images of guitars and drum kits can be strummed or tapped to produce realistic instrument sounds from onboard speakers. Kids can play along perfectly to three pre-recorded songs by strumming or tapping at any speed, or they can play in a freestyle mode that lets them use the instrument in a realistic way to produce various notes and chords. Parents will also be pleased to know that Paper Jamz can be plugged into speakers or headphones.

The only downside to these instruments is the total cost a dedicated paper jammer may pay. Although all are capable of free-style play, each guitar and drum set comes with only 3 pre-recorded songs, which is the big draw for most kids who want to play along with their favorite tunes. There are multiple "series" and "styles" of instruments, each with different songs, adding up to about 30 guitars and drum sets in total. With each one needing its own set of 3 AAA batteries (not included), and at $20 - $25 apiece, a real guitar might actually end up being cheaper in the long run.